The kids could hardly wait for the next campfire story because it was going to be about taking a nature hike in the spring. Spring is an exciting time, and the kids want to hear what happens in the woods in the spring. They were not disappointed!
Dave put another log on the fire, then he began his story. Spring is all about life starting anew. When a person walks on a trail through the woods, there is new life on every side! Plants that have been buried all winter by dead leaves, push up new green stalks and leaves. Birds that have been gone all winter have returned and fill the woods with their songs.
The trees that have been bare all winter sprout new leaves. The leaves are a bright green that is only seen in the springtime. The trees and the bushes also begin to grow taller as new life surges through the branches.
The most amazing thing is the baby animals! The baby animals are very cute, but they are also helpless. The parents are very protective and very busy finding food for their babies.
All this new life teaches us a lot about God! God is in the business of creating new life! He is the one that makes springtime happen each year. He brings new life at the end of the long winter, and new life in the animal kingdom, but the greatest new life that God creates is the new life that is given to a person when they accept Jesus as their Savior.
In the Bible in II Corinthians 5:17 it says:
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
That’s right, God makes a believer into a new person! That means that the person’s past does not need to be in control of their life anymore! All sins are forgiven and when God looks at that person, all He sees is the perfection of Jesus! This does not mean that a believer is a perfect person, all of us still struggle with sin and will continue to struggle with sin until our life on this earth is over, but Jesus has died for all our sins, nothing we have done or will do is beyond the forgiveness offered by Jesus! A believer may have to live with the consequences of their sins while they are on this earth, but they are headed to a far better place when this life is over! All believers will spend eternity in heaven with God Himself! At that time, everything will be made new, and nothing will ever be ruined by sin again!
In the Bible in Revelation 21:3-5a it says:
I heard a loud shout from the throne (in heaven), saying, “Look, God’s home is now among His people! He will live with them, and they will be His people. God Himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!”
Springtime reminds us that God is in the business of making things new, and the best new thing will be getting to spend forever with God after life on this earth is over! If you have never asked Jesus to forgive your sins and come into your life, do not wait another day, do it today!